A New Start
by ThomasMoore
Summary: What happens after Ptolemy's Gate?
1. Love, or Hate?

Kitty lie in bed in deep, dark thought. Did she miss him? Did she hate him? Did she_ love_ him? N-ye-no. She couldn't, until, he died. But no, he was a coward, he cried, death is not painless, death is good, he was a crybaby, a coward, a defeatist. Wait, what was she, some Czech infidel? No. Wait, she was for Czech, she was confused. Him, or Henry? Scratch Henry out, he was too close of a friend for love. Then, it-it must be him. She had no one else. Where was he? Heaven, or Hell? Was he gone, or just missing? She didn't know about him, but she did know one thing that was missing.

_Matthew 6:21: "For where your heart is, there shall your treasure be also."_

Jane. That was her name. Where was she? Unknown. She knew her name. Jane F-arare? Farar? Farrar. That was it. Okay. She was fine. She knew everything now. Everything.

She felt something, something wet. A wolf towered above her fallen body. She rose her head and looked up.

"Stop, stop," she said with a smile, followed up by laughter. "Please." She fell down again and rose her legs up to her chest.

"Get up, friend," said the wolf's eyes. "We need you." Jane obeyed.

"Come, we have much work to do.

She went into the remnants of the god forsaken hellhole that could once be considered a bustling city.

"What happened," she heard all round her pretty ears. The demons, she replied to herself. Where should she go first? She decided to check out is her manor house was still in shape, then she'll go check out which politicians died and which lived.

As she walked around the city streets, people watched her. She's still alive, they said. We've got to tell the new, they told themselves, as they ran through the city streets only to skid their knees on cracks that surrounded the sidewalk.

She found an abandoned car. Hopefully, if she got in it, it would work and not explode half-way to her house. She decided to try a demon first. Darn. She needed a summoning circle. There was none. Should she take the chance? She'll try.

She got in the car. The keys were still in it.

"Ugh! A corpse. Get it out of here." She pushed the dead body out of the seat, repeating "ew,ew,ew". Once it was out of the seat, she slid in. The keys were still there. She turned them on. It took her three tries at least, but she finally got it. Then she put her feet to the pedal-

_Boom!!!_

The car exploded, Jane's head slammed into the air bag, staining the white with red. Her body stayed there. She drifted up, up, up she went. Into the Golden City.

She flew up, only to bounce in the air and land on a soft, fluffy cloud.

"Where am I," she wondered aloud.

"Where do you think," replied a majestic voice that could only be that of an angel's. "The Kingdom of Heaven, my dear."

"So it is real," she muttered.

"What was that, dear?"

"Nothing."

"Come here. What's your name, friend?"

"Jane Farrar."

"Farrar, Farrar," repeated.

"Agnes Farrar

Thomas Farrar

Terry Farrar

Josh Farrar

"Not that many Farrar's, are there," he said to Jane with his head down in the middle of the names.

John Farrar

Joseph Farrar"

"Oh, no," he said with a fearful look and the face of dread. "You're not on the list. You know what that means…" his voice trailed off.

"Wh-oh…oh sh-" she said but couldn't finish as she fell back through the cloud, screaming.

Down, down she went. She saw an object through her glance downward. Who was it? He was wearing black, he had a belt, with an hour glass strapped to it, and a dead flower in his robe breast pocket. He was a skeleton, and held a scythe.

"Your time is UP."

"Please, no," sobbed sorrowful Jane.

"Come with me." She followed him down, down, down, until he disappeared.

She landed in a cage, it was large, 24" by 24", she didn't know how she knew that. Where was she? Fire burned around her.

She heard a clanking sound. She turned around, to see a giant, red, huge monster, with one arm colossal, and one arm smaller than a T-Rex's. It lunged toward her. She screamed, but then, the monster was out of sight.

She awoke on the city streets of Prague. She was dazed. She saw the hazy image of Death above her.

"Be good, and follow Jesus, not yourself this time," she told him. Those words ran through her head, then, she fainted.

Kitty awoke to the sound of a roaring tea kettle. She threw off the covers and ran over to the stove to turn it off, exposing her night gown.

"You tea's ready," said Henry, unable to keep a strait face.

"Jee, thanks," replied her with rolled eyes. She poured some sarcastic tea into her cup. She went over and set it down on the coffee table in front of the couch.

"Don't drink any. I've got to go change my cloths. Be right back," she said to Henry with a stern face.

"Okay," Henry replied with a more sarcastic look than the tea.

Kitty shut the door to her bedroom behind her and undressed. She went over to her dresser and picked out one rather quick. Since she lived on the streets, she was used to wearing the same thing every time or just randomly picking, unlike other girls that spend hours trying to figure out what to wear.

She went back over to the door, and changed into her all blue attire. She put a belt around her waist under the blue dress and unlocked the soor. She went out, putting her blue-green shirt on as she went.

The girl pulled her head out, only to see Henry finishing his tea cup and drinking out of hers.

"Henry, dern it," she screamed and sprinted over while he ran so she could ring his neck.

Jane went into the church building. She thought she better do that. It was Lutheran. She went over to a man in a long robe holding a _KJV _Bible.

"Um, who are you," she asked with a raised, curious brow.

"Why, I'm the pastor," he replied with a smile


	2. Nathaniel's Back And His Friend

After Kitty had had fun chasing Henry, she and him sat down to watch TV. They didn't actually pay attention, they were too busy having fun messing with each other.

"Oh, Henry! Stop, stop," Kitty said with energy. Kitty, depending on who she was with at the time, found most things humorous and amusing. Now, with Nathaniel, she'd have a different view.

Nathaniel….it buzzed in her head like an angry bee, or, any bee for that matter. She still couldn't decide though. Love, or hate?

John Mandrake was dead. He was gone, to the back confines of Nathaniel's mind. Nathaniel was still alive, but barely. The explosion had blown him away, far away. At first, his body floated far down the Thames. It floated out to sea, instead of landing in the muck like Honorious. He floated out to a dock in Estonia.

He awoke to the seagulls flying over his supposed dead body. Flies, buzzed and landed on his throat. Two fisherman came over.

"He's dead," the captain said in their own language. "Push him over board."

The hauled up Nathaniel's body and threw it into the icy cold river. It went back on it's journey to the Thames. At least, it would have, had Nathaniel not woken up.

Nathaniel walk up spitting water from his mouth and onto his coal blackened remains of suit. He then began to cough up blood. Had he been in the ocean, this would've been very unfortunate. But since he was in the Thames, it had the opposite effect, and scared away all the fish.

Instead, it attracted another's attention. The cops. And, when the cops get involved, so do the media.

"Mandrake is Alive" "Back in His Dead suit Style, Mr. Mandrake is Back"

The headlines were all over. And Henry, just happened to pick one up one morning while at Vinny's Diner.

"What are you reading," Kitty asked with seeming curiosity.

"Your boyfriend's back."

"Who's my…," her voice trailed off as she took the paper away from Henry. He's alive, she thought.

Now it was time for her question to be answered. Did she love him, or hate him?

Nathaniel pulled out his keys. Ms. Piper had changed the lock. Smart girl. He was good to trust her with the house. Incase a burglar came, or a certain Bartimaeus had stolen his keys, while he was a coma.

He knocked on the door.

"Coming," called the voice of a petite woman from inside.

"Oh. Mr. Mandrake, I've been expecting you."

"As have I," he said snoodily. "But I'm happy to see you," he said with a smile and reached over to hug her. She hugged him back.

"Would you like to go out for some coffee," he asked politely. "Or perhaps some tea?"

"No thank you. We-or, I, if you prefer, can make it ourselves. I was going to hire a maid for myself, since I inherited the house, but I guess I just never got around to it.

"Oh. Okay. Well, how about this. We'll both make it," politely announced Nathaniel with energy.

"Okay," responded Ms. Piper with a gleeful smile.

They spent the next couple of paradise hours making coffee and tea, cracking jokes, and

Nathaniel fighting the temptation of taking some of the shots Ms. Piper had prepared some time ago.

They went back into his office. He turned on the spare TV he had in there, and they watched "House", the weird BBC adapted version.

"So, do you like Sherlock Holmes," Nathaniel asked.

"Yeah, Arthur Conan Doyle is my favorite author. I wish I could reread some though. My memory of them is a bit hazy," shed responded, looking eye to eye with Nathaniel.

"Do you waqnt some? I can let you borrow mine."

"Oh, I can? Well thank you. Sure. Give me the book."

"The original, or adapted?"

"Adapted. It'll be easier to read."

"Okay. Let me go get them."

Nathaniel began his quick trip to the library, then stopped before the door. He was having a heart attack-at least, that's what it felt like. He was so shocked has the gargoyle like face turned upside down and glared at him with an evil grin.

"I'm back," said Bartimaeus, followed by a laugh.

Jane continued talking with the priest.

"So, now that I've talked to you, what denoination or religion do you choose?"

"I choose Christian, because I know it's right, and I choose this type, the Orthodox, because I like it."

"Well, will you being going to this church? I need to know," the priest responded.

"Yes. It's cool that this type is so rare in England, and I also really like it."

"Good. I hope you always do."

"Cheerio for now."

"Cheerio," responded the priest, who then continued with his self Bible study.

Jane walked out of the church into the warm ran. She let the aroma flow through her nose, the sweet, pleasant smell.

She picked up a paper attached to her car.

"John's back," she said in astonishment. "Gotta go," she said, then got in her car and stepped on it.

Mr. Mandrake was apparently not that pleased to see me. I don't know why. He said he had a heart attack. Tch. Mellow-dramatic.

"Dern it, Barty-"

"Don't call me that!"

"I thought you were out of my life for good."

"Oh, sorry! I'm just here to, to, annoy you now I guess." Actually, that was a lie. Though I really, really hate to say it, I get lonely. And I like Kitty, but he hates/somewhat likes me. We have a complex relationship. Same thing with Nathaniel, only he was more accustomed to me. So, I choose him. Why? Annoyance, loneliness, that kind of stuff.


	3. Oh, Crap

Jane pulled into the drive-way of Mr. Mandrake's estate. She stepped out of the car into the pouring rain, her boots clopping in the puddles.

She pulled over her raincoat hood and put her hands in her pocket.

She went up the steps to Nathaniel's door. She tapped on it three times. She heard footsteps. Strange, they were a woman's. It must be Mr. Mandrake's Maid, Ms. Piper.

Ms. Piper pried open the lock. "Hello, Ms. Farrar. What may you be doing here?"

"I heard that Mr. Man-John, was still alive. I came to see if it was true," she replied with a flat face.

"Of course. He is, I assure you-" She stopped as Nathaniel came into the room.

"Jane? You're alive," he said with a shocked expression.

"I have been-more than once. I didn't know that _you_ were though," she responded.

"Please, come in," he wavered her. "We have much to discuss."

"May I start off," she asked.

"Of course!"

"Do you believe in God?"

"Let's go," Kitty said. She got out of her seat, picking up her coffee. Henry scooted out of his chair, and followed Kitty.

They left Vinny's Diner. Kitty hopped into the driver's seat while Henry sat in the passenger's. She slid the keys into the lock and stepped on it.

'How do you know if he's even still alive," Henry asked.

"There was a picture of him in the paper."

"It could've been a fake."

"No, it couldn't have been. I could tell. He's alive-I can feel it, I can just know."

Well, Nathaniel's flirting with Jane, Ms. Piper's making terrible lunch. How wonderful is this? Not very.

So, as I was saying. Nathaniel is flirting around with a beer bottle1, and now-

Kitty's on her way! Yay! One person I actually like out of this jolly group.

literally

Kitty arrived at the doorstep and knocked on it. Well, knocked isn't exactly the right word. Used Henry as a battering ram is more like it.

Nathaniel opened the door. He gasped.

"K-kit

Nathaniel opened the door. He gasped.

"K-Kitty," he said in awe.

"Nathaniel," Kitty said, the clasped her hands to her mouth.

"Dern it! Did ANYONE here you?! Are you alone?!"

"I have Henry," she replied in the fear that strikes her more often then portrayed.

"Both of you get in the house NOW," said Nathaniel in an angry, booming voice.

"Dang. No one better have overheard you. Ms. Piper, put the demons on alert," Nathaniel shouted with anger.

"Yes, sir."

"Darn! Do you even know how many people want to kill me?! They could-"

"Jo-Na-John. Everyone's dead. Get that in your THICK, BONEHEADED SKULL," said Jane, in a raging, loving fit.

"Jane, don't you at him!"

"Hey, don't tell me wh-"

"Listen. Jane, you're right. She's right, Nathaniel. Listen to her, but Jane, please don't yell at him. Please don't yell at him!!!"

The front door broke through and slammed into the columns. They were fortuantly there, though, now, it's bad. That was the only thing protecting Jane, Kitty, and Nathaniel from the outside world.

"Hello, Bartimaeus. I'm back," said Honorious.


	4. The Truth

Okay. So I'm thinking multiple things. My head is racing.

Is this for real?

Oh ***.

What do I do?

So, any ideas? I started an attack. My body went _through_ Honorious, ripping his insides out.

Blood dripped around the ground-wait a minute…blood? This really _isn't _for real. So wait, what is it then? Nathaniel answered my question.

"It's a trap," he said, just in time to get it out before the front half of the house exploded. A troop of Americans swarmed into the room. They carried what looked like wands. They were dressed in camouflaged magician suits.

"Who are you people," asked Nathaniel with a frown and a glare.

"Who are we? Ha, ha," he laughed, in a maniacal, American-accented voice. "We are the green berates.

"NO," shouted Nathaniel at the top of his lungs. He'd heard of these guys for Mr. Mortenson. They were the toughest, dark magic Americans around.

"Come. Attack him," shouted the Captain. They raised their wands, ready to strike.

I swooped in and swiped all of their wands out of their hands. I threw them against the side of the wall, where they broke.

"Darn you," said the Captain. "We'll be back," he said. Then his troops clasped their hands together, and vanished, leaving a trail of purple, fuming smoke.

"So, what should we do now," Kitty asked.

"I think I know," said Jane.

"What," recovered Nathaniel.

"Oh, shoot. I was hoping to pursoe your plan."

So, I planted my "body" next to Nathaniel's-his, being an actual "body". We the group decided (obviously) to call the police, without question, except for some useless bickering by Kitty.

"Why can't we just _fight_ them," she questioned Nathaniel, in a pursuit of rage.

"We can't. We just can't. For one, there is too many of them, and they could easily overcome us; for two, they're Americans, and will apply any dark magic, and not follow the rules of war; and for three, it's the obvious and right thing to do.

"But," Kitty started.

"No. I'm sorry, but I don't won't to hear any of it," Nathaniel replied, with an angry hand gesture. And that, was the end of it. Kitty's useless bickering, that is.


End file.
